Sunday, December 27, 2009
Ending with a smile and a wave goodbye
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Zoo and Night Safari
Finally, we visited the Singapore Zoological Gardens and Night Safari! Both tourist attractions are conveniently located just side by side each other. The former opens in the morning and afternoon while the latter opens at night only. The Night Safari located at Mandai Lake Road is the first night zoo ever established in the world, making it one of the most unique tourist attractions in Singapore and even South East Asia.
First, we made our way to the Singapore Zoological Gardens. Other than taking a cab to the place, we took a bus from Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange. The bus ride was convenient, efficient and affordable. Upon reaching the destination, we bought our tickets at the ticketing counter which was decorated in safari-like fashion. There were many food outlets located just outside the entrance of the zoo. Some of them are fast food outlets like KFC, Pizza hut, Ben & Jerry’s and Ah Meng Café, which was specially set up in memory of the late Ah Meng. Ah Meng (18 June 1960 – 8 February 2008) was a female Sumatran Orangutan and a tourism icon of the zoo. She was smuggled from Indonesia and kept illegally as a domestic pet before being recovered by a veterinarian in 1971. She was then eleven years old and was given a home at the Singapore Zoo.
The zoo is a model of the 'open zoo' concept. The animals are kept in spacious, landscaped enclosures, separated from the visitors by either dry or wet moats. The moats are concealed with vegetation or dropped below the line of vision. In the case of dangerous animals which can climb very well, moat barriers are not used. Instead, these animals are housed in landscaped glass-fronted enclosures. There are about 315 species of animal in the zoo, of which some 16% are considered threatened species. To visit the animals, we travelled around in a tram that provided free rides throughout the day.
Next, before visiting the zoo, we went to Kenko foot reflexology for a 10 minutes fish spa. It was a refreshing experience. The first 5 minutes was extremely tickling. When the fish fed on our feet’s dead skin, it tickled a lot. It took a few of us the first few minutes to get used to it. The next few minutes were uplifting and a whole new experience for every one of us. There were 2 different sizes of fish to choose from. We chose the smaller fishes, as it was less ticklish and not painful unlike the big fishes which brings mior pain to our feets. One of us was bold enough to go try the bigger fish. Her comments after the experience were, “It is more painful and all the fishes rushes to the feet the moment my feet touched the water. It is a totally different sensation from the smaller fish.” The fish spa is known to have many benefits, such as natural exfoliation of dead skin, releasing of stress and tension, and lightening of minor scars. Therefore, we encourage you to give it a try. It is definitely worth the try!
Thereafter, we went to the Night Safari which was just a few steps away from the zoo. The Night Safari, opened in 1994, is the world’s first nocturnal zoo. The Night Safari currently houses a total of 1,040 animals of 120 species, of which 29% are threatened species.
Unlike traditional nocturnal houses, which reverse the day-night cycle of animals so they will be active by day, the Night Safari is an entire open-air zoo set in a humid tropical forest that is only open at night. It is divided into eight geographical zones, which can be explored either on foot via three walking trails, or by tram.
Touring the night zoo by tram was the route we took on our visit. It was an interesting trip as we got the chance to be near to the animals as the tram can travel within the restricted region that is not allowed during normal visits to zoo. This is an exclusive chance in Night Safari. However, cameras with flash are not allowed. People who “on” their flashes are constantly reminded to “off them”. This is to prevent the disturbance of animals as they are very sensitive to light. There may be danger as well if we alarmed or shocked dangerous animals like lions and tigers. The thought of this pushed the excitement even further as we ventured into the darkness and mysteries of animals’ kingdom quietly, up so close for the first time. The Night Safari has been the first to embrace this stimulating activity. At one point, we got off the tram to take a detour into a part where we need to go by foot. Our group decided to take a daring move to visit areas such as the homes of bats and flying squirrels, tigers, deers and some other animals. We entered into an enclosed area for bats. As the bats are allowed to fly freely, we walked through the trail with much caution. It was dark and shadowy from the trees towering filling the place with suspense, causing thrill-lovers to enjoy every moment of the walk. We also managed to see the leopards as near as only a few centimeters away from us as they were sleeping near the glass door. This certainly enhances the worth of visiting Night Safari. There is also an educational region where we get to see the fossils and skin specimens of some reptiles, increasing our knowledge towards these species. After the walk, we continued our way back to the tram which carries on with the other half of the journey. Through the trail that the tram took, we explored other animals, such as hippopotamus, bears, elephants and giraffes and anteaters. We caught them eating, sleeping, walking. Although some of the animals seemed to sense our presence but they continued with their own activities.
Though we did not manage to capture clear photos as cameras with flash are restricted, the trip is definitely worthwhile as the whole experience is very fulfilling. This place is hence highly recommended especially if you are an animal lover or a thrill seeker.
http://www.zoo.com.sg/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Zoo
http://www.nightsafari.com.sg/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Safari
Monday, December 7, 2009
Clarke Quay.
The Singapore River is a romantic place for couples to hang out, especially at night. There are many restaurants nearby for couples to dine at before they go for a stroll along the singapore river.
The Singapore River is especially popular among couples during festive occasions such as Valentines' Day, as it is a romantic place to hang out with your soul mate and to enjoy the moonlight and breeze together. The river cruise is also available to let couples enjoy the scenery along the singapore river and also to spend some quality time with each other.
As Valentines' Day coincides with the Chinese New Year festivities, it is believed that on the 15th day of the event, unmarried women wishing to find their soul mates gather near the Singapore River in the night to throw Mandarin oranges to the river, with the belief to find a good life partner. The shopping malls, elegant hotels and spa resorts also make efforts to make this occasion more eventful by announcing attractive holiday packages for young couples desiring to spend an intimate romantic weekend. With such a simple yet attracting place to go, it is definitely a place many choose to hang out at with their soul mates for a romantic night!
Clarke Quay has a wide variety of food that caters to many people with different taste buds.
Many restaurants lined the streets of Clarke Quay with those selling western cuisines to Asian cuisines, offered by Coriander leaf and King Satay. King Satay is one that provides local food for tourists to enjoy and experience our Singapore tastes. It also serves as a clubbing hotspot for any party-goers.
Fusion cuisines like Casa-Z also allow tourists to enjoy chic French dining by the riverside. Indian, Indonesian and Japanese cuisines are also available here.
Other than these famous and well known cuisines in Singapore that hold up our cosmopolitan culture and the recognition of “food heaven” with different kinds of food catering to the different races, there are also dessert cuisines offered; an example is the crossroad bar that is Simply Chocolate! This is a lounge that people can unwind over fine teas, coffees, wines and cocktails and alcoholic beverages. Not to leave out, there is also a mouth-watering array of chocolate treats. In addition, the chocolate buffet is next to the bar.
Other than the many restaurants mentioned above, alternatives like cafes can also be considered if a rest and a sweet treat is all you want. The food provided in Clarke Quay is definitely worth a while for people to visit the place.
When visiting Clarke Quay, tourists are definitely spoilt for choice by the abundance and diversity of the food provided by this famous spot.
After the dinner, there is plenty of room to relax and talk. For groups of friends, places like the timbre, can be found along the shop-houses. Not only that, there are jazz bars, small pubs and even clubs near the areas. Some of the more famous ones are Zirca Mega Club and Club One Seven. CPubs are used for a small degree of bonding. There are many varieties of drinks, ranging from Jack Daniel’s, Martels, to others like Tequila. Tourists can also try out the famous Singapore Sling, a cocktail invented by Ngiam Tong Boon, who was a bartender at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel Singapore. The surroundings were rather lively, being mostly more crowded on Fridays and weekends. There are live bands in the house, and the music was soothing for these pub joints, and with the beautiful scenery as a plus point. Hence, visitors can get out of their usual routines and experience a part of Singapore's night life.
Last but not least the group ends off with a picture to depict the scene of the leisure outing itself.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sentosa
The first word that came to mind when we saw the merlion - HUGE. At a towering height of 37 metres, it stands as an icon of Singapore. Visitors are allowed to enter the Merlion to take a lift to the top. From the top, one will be able to capture a mesmerizing view of the sea and the mainland of Singapore. There is also an audio presentation telling the history of Merlion which holds great significance to the founding of Singapore.
After this, we headed to the Nature Trails. It was a long walk on the bridge but definitely worth it. Before entering the nature trail, we are exposed to a short audio presentation on what to expect. Being told to be patient, we headed out for a long walk. Keeping our eyes wide open, capturing everything not wanting to miss any single scene, one of our group members caught sight of a green bird flying in the trees. After some time, another bird joined that previos bird. We also caught sight of several insects. However, We were rather disappointed at not being able to find a crab. All in all, it was a good time spent in the nature, absorbing the freshness and silence that nature offers. After having a relaxing and fascinating walk at the Nature Trail, we proceed on to the blast of the day, the Sky and Luge Ride. We paid $11 dollar for a one-way ride for each game, which includes both the Sky ride and luge ride then went to queue up, anticipating all the enjoymeny later on. It was relatively fast due to the efficient staff there. We hopped on our sliders, and begin to slide our way down. In the beginning, we were cautious about the speed and control of the slider , but after awhile, we become less tense and stared sliding with full speed. It was so much fun and excitement and thrills all of us without fail.
When we were reaching the end, there were many people taking pictures of the ride which made us feel like we were some form of celebrities, identical to the F1. For the next stop, we rushed on to take the Sky ride. It was amazing as we see our feet slowly ascending and drifting further from the ground. A thin strip of metal was used to connect the bench and the cable. As we looked around, we saw the beauty of Sentosa Island from an entire different perspective. There were several small islands near the shores of Sentosa. The strong wind that gave us the chills, further add on to the excitement we had. However the route is relatively short, and we soon found ourselves landing back to the top where we started our Luge Ride. Finally, it is time to hit the beach. First, we took the tram service directly to the Tanjong Beach. It is a lovely, pristine beach that is not very crowded. Many couples filled this area and being such a serene place, the whole ambience is extremely romantic. It is definitely a hot spot for couples. On top of all these, pet animals are also allowed here. This attracts the pet-lovers to roam around this place and you get to see numerous dogs strolling here. It is also a perfect place to sun tan. Our whole group gets mildly tanned just by sitting and chatting there. There are fewer worries on whether objects thrown carelessly will land on us or anyone engaged in ball games will hurl the balls at us accidentally.
As we continued on our way, we arrived at the second beach, Palawan beach. It is slightly more crowded than the former and the whole atmosphere is much livelier. There are also more facilities, like the 7-eleven and Kou-Fu,a food-court. The snacks there are great, satisfying our hunger to a large extent after playing around so much. More people hanged out here to engage in games and activities. It seems to be a popular hang-out for large groups to sit down, relax, potluck and chat. It is also the nearest beach from the beach station, which makes it well-located and time-saving to go back to the city after all the fun.
Then, back at the station, we took another tram service to Siloso beach. It is the most jam-packed beach there. This beach is operated by Zouk, a well known club management and is most renowned for its annual party during the New Year’s countdown. Many youngsters frequent the place resulting in the addition of many games, like volley ball, street basketball, ultimate Frisbee and more. We participated the games here and absolutely benefit from the fun. There is also a Wave house here, where there are stimulated waves for people to surf on. Many attempted but failed after a few minutes but the satisfaction that they derived from trying was totally expressed on their faces with their radiant smiles and laughter. We also swam across to some small rocky islands that is situated across the sea. This is where we wrote our sincere ‘we are here’ sentence, before swimming back to shore.
Among these three beaches, there are also many resorts, like Coasta Sands and others, and hotels like Rasa Singapore. It allows people to stay there and continue their fun the next day. There are also many bars and cafes along the stretch, like Cafe Del Mar, and Sand Bar, which helped us relax a bit.
Upon reaching night, we entered the arena to watch “The Songs of the Sea”. It was definitely the highlight of our day at Sentosa. The back ground setting of the performance was spectacular. It was made up of old wooden houses on stilts that were built on the water surrounding Sentosa. The intricate design of the houses made me anticipate the performance even more. As the performance was held outdoors, the cooling weather also added to the sense of mystery that hung in the air. We reached the outdoor venue early to get front row seats. As we were waiting, there was a temporary stall set up in front of everyone. They sold crackers, drinks and ice cream to tourists who would want a snack while watching the performance. I thought it was very thoughtful of the Sentosa to make such arrangements as we were starving by that time. We couldn’t find the time and place to have dinner before “Songs of the Sea” as there was too much to see and play on the island! There were also many crews walking around selling beautiful light sticks. Some of those that were on sale could even spin and create luminous pictures.
At 730pm, the show started! The performers ran out bursting with energy and vibrancy. They broke into song and dance a few moments later. They sang songs from the four main languages of Singapore namely Malay, Indian, Chinese and English songs that we were very familiar with. The actors also consist of the 4 different races. I thought the showcase was pretty entertaining and meaningful as it portrayed the multi-faceted community that we have in Singapore. I must say that it really was a perfect end to my day at Sentosa. All of us really enjoyed ourselves there and hope to be back again!
http://www.sentosa.com.sg/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentosa
Monday, November 16, 2009
Marina Barrage
Despite the strong wind blowing, some people tried hard to send their kites up.
The urban view can be seen in the background. It depicts the sensation of escaping from reality and work.
The green grass made us felt like we were in the Garden of Eden. Even though it was scotching hot, we still had fun enjoyed ourselves! Marina Barrage is a scenic place that provides you with a relaxing and refreshing experience. The sceneries include places like Singapore’s famous flyer which is at a height of 165m. You will be able to catch a good view of the flyer even though it is a sea apart. The Green roof and the Pump house also has beautiful scenery to be captured by visitors.
The Pump house resides by the reservoir and holds very beautiful scenery for photo-taking or even just to relax and enjoy the wind. The Green roof provides a place for people to relax, play kites and even have a picnic as this wide area has much to offer for enjoying a day out with family, friends or simply to cool down after a day’s work. Tourists will get the most peaceful view here away from the usual bustling crowds such as those in Chinatown or Little India. There is also the Marina Bridge, which holds the press gate that controls the water flow which further enhances the atmosphere, allowing it to be a relaxing place for people to not only enjoy the food and also the many entertainment spots such as the water area where children get to play with the water. The mere enjoyment of the atmosphere around Marina Barrage is enough to satisfy all.
On our visit there, we brought lots of food, ranging from sushi to sandwiches. It sure was a delicious spread. After breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the beautiful view, we settled down on the grass to start on our feast. We played some games too, the forfeit being eating chips with wasabi. It is indeed a great place for families to have a picnic at. Around us were groups of friends and families. Some having picnics too and some flying kites. There were a few children running around, looking so carefree. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we almost forgot we were there to review the place. Evening came quickly. Tons of people were flying kites. A memorable one was a long snake kite that stretched across the sky. It looked magnificent. Lit at the bottom, we could see it easily, swerving in the sky, avoiding all the other small ones and flying even higher. The night there is cooling, unlike the temperature in the afternoon. So if you would like to spend romantic time with your other half, the evening is a great time to do so. You might even want to propose to her there.
The Singapore Flyer is the world's largest observation wheel, standing at 165m tall from the ground. It is the height of a 42-storey building, which is also 30 metres taller than the famed London Eye. The Flyer is a S$240 million dollar investment and would be a one-of-a-kind experience everyone would like to try. It offers visitor a breathtaking, paranomic view of Marina Bay waterfront and the historical landmarks dotting the city skyline such as Raffles Place, Empress Place, Padang and the Merlion Park.
There is also a wide range of shops, restaurants, activities and facilities at the convenience of visitors to enjoy as well. The Flyer offers restaurants ranging from Japanese to Indian fusion and Italian epicurean, which gives visitors a taste of why Singapore is the gourmet capital of Asia.
On top of all, visitors will get a chance to experience the urban nature with the tropical rainforest which is the the centre of the atrium. The cascading water displays, streams, rocky outcrops and pond fuse together naturally to offer a picturesque landscape for photo taking, where all the greenery surrounding you. Furthermore, the exotic rocky terrain serves as a complement to the area. The koi pond in the area, also, helped to enhance the feeling of being in a rain forest.
To add on, visitors can rest in the shade of the Greek Theatre which is located next beside the Singapore Flyer while the little ones can frolic about the interactive water fountain where they will have a blast with dancing water jets and water sprays at the cheery and colourful aqua playground, available on selected days and timings. Others include Fish spa, it’s a spa where Doctor Fishes (“Garra Rufa”) work their magic on your feet. These fish, imported from Turkey, have healing properties and will give you a pedicure you won’t forget. It is known to eat away ‘dead’ skin cells from your foot and reveal a smooth and shiny leg.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Shopping at Orchard Road
Here we are! Orchard road,
one of the busiest place in Singapore! There are places such as Far East Plaza, Takashimaya, Orchard Ion and many more. Our first stop was at Tangs. It had a Chinese pavilion look. Being an ancient structure in the middle of an urban area, it stood out among other buildings. Marriott hotel is right beside it, built in almost the same style. It had many fashion clothing brands and even household items. At the basement, there is a small market place, selling fruits and food from many different cuisines.Next stop, we arrived at
Wisma Atria. There is a wide range of stores in the complex. At the top level lies Food Republic, which is famous for its street food. There are mostly local delights and is a boost for our morale in the shopping district. We ordered plenty of food to replenish our energy in order to continue the shopping trip!
Wistma Atria is connected to a big red building, also other known as Takashimaya. The numerous stores inside range from labels such as Louis Vuitton to brands such as Levis.
After a long walk along orchard road, we found ourselves in front of a interesting elavator, leading to an interesting place.
Once we were inside, we starting our shopping and eating spree! Look at all those lovely bags! But looks like it is not suitable for the two guys... Orchard Central offers not only luxurious items, but luxurious food as well such as Botejyu.
While shopping, we saw a huge and gigantic female holding a shopping bag! I guess the statue is trying to imply that shoppers come here with a “ high “ need for shopping, hence explaining the height. Isn’t the face creepy? The megapolis seems to appear only in science fiction shows. But there it is in Orchard Central! We stared at the detailed patterns for minutes.
Next, we took an escalator, which resembles Hongkong Ocean park’s escalators.
The escalator leads us to a haven which is other known as the Rooftop garden. As seen, safety precautions have been made to ensure people do not fall while watching the concrete jungle outside. Botanical Gardens may be popular, however there is yet another garden beyond a typical backyard garden. And it is nonetheless Orchard Central’s Rooftop garden. Titled “ The Stairs, The Clouds, and The Sky”, it is truly an amazing sight to look at.
A mini artificial waterfall is also located in the rooftop garden.The sounds of the water itself, gives shoppers a sense of serenity, after going through the concrete jungle below.
Well , who are all these scary looking figures being pierced? In fact they are designed in such a way to represent the feeling of freedom in the infinite sky. It sure made me want to jump and look up when I saw it!
Orchard ION is located at
Inside the shopping mall, it is mostly made up of glass panels and metallic frames, there are many shops selling products, ranging from handbags to apparels to accessories. The variety of the products sold are remarkable and I was left spoilt for choice. There are also many food stalls in the basement of the mall. You can take your pick from snack stalls, fast food outlets, restaurants of various cuisines or many others. Our trip to Orchard ION was indeed very pampering.
We waited till 7pm at night to see the lightings displayed outside the savvy new mall. The glass displays lighted with bright neon colors are impressive and magnificent. The entire mall shone like a star and made
As you can see from the pictures that we took, apart from the light displays, there is also a brightly-lit Christmas tree outside Orchard ION. Initially, we thought it was just a display, but we were wrong. There are entrances for visitors to enter and there are more lightings to be viewed inside the Christmas tree! It was such a feast for the eyes inside the tree, the lights shone and sparkled even more and they looked even more like stars! What a delightful surprise!
After taking numerous photos of the wonderful display, we were worn out with our day’s activities and decided to go home. It was indeed a wonderful day spent in Orchard. Orchard Road has lived up to its name for being the most fun and happening place in
Signing off with a group photo!
http://www.ionorchard.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_Orchard
http://www.orchardcentral.com.sg/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchard_central